Review of The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Egmont USA

The False Princess
by Eilis O'Neal
5 Scribbles

Nalia is the princess of Thorvaldor, trained in everything a princess must know to be a successful future queen; she has never known life outside of Thorvaldor’s walls. But, shortly after her sixteenth birthday, she is told that her life is a lie. Her parents are not her parents, and she is not the princess—she was chosen to stand in for the real princess so that a prophecy may be avoided. It seems an oracle had predicted that the real princess would die in her fifteenth year, and now that Nalia is sixteen, it is safe to bring the real princess home to the palace. In the course of one day Nalia loses everything she has ever known, including her name. Now she is Sinda Azaway, and she is sent to live with her aunt in Treb, a poor village in the countryside.  How will she ever adjust to this new life?

What appears on the surface to be a simple riches to rags story is so much more! Readers are connected to Sinda’s plight right away. We want her to succeed in her new world, and like Sinda, we only feel a little anger at the crown for betraying her. She is our friend; a kind girl who deserves some measure of happiness in the world, especially since she has been mistreated so badly by those who should have loved her. The real surprise in the story is when Sinda discovers she has magic, and in order to control it, she must leave Treb and return to the city to seek training. Once there, she reunites with a lost friend and discovers that things are not as they seem in the palace. There is still an imposter in the royal circle, and only Sinda can stop the conspiracy to overthrow the crown. Thus, Sinda must dig deep and find her spine, for it seems only she can save the kingdom. The author does an amazing job at plotting—weaving in elements from earlier in the story that seem irrelevant, but later are critical to Sinda’s success. Secondary characters are very well drawn, and the villains are easy to loathe. Although this seems to be a stand-alone novel, it could easily grow into a series. In fact, a series could emerge from a secondary character alone. Another great factor is the novel's unpredictability. At first blush the reader may think they are engaged in a sort of fairy tale, but it doesn’t take long to see that this novel is a tightly crafted mystery filled with intrigue and excitement around every corner. It’s got it all: magic, sword fights, mystery, and even a little romance.  It’s one of those books that will make you late for…well anything…because it’s impossible to put it down.  Readers who enjoy works like Princess Academy by Shannon Hale and Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers will find much to love in this book!

Review of The Elite by Kiera Cass

HarperCollins Children's
Books

The Elite
by Kiera Cass
3 Scribbles
To be released 4/23/2013
Spoiler alert!

Six girls remain in the competition for Prince Maxon, and America is one of the favorites. Yet, America is still struggling with her feelings for her first love, Apsen, and she isn’t sure she has what it takes to be princess, and eventually queen. Meanwhile, rebel attacks increase and it becomes apparent that the palace is full of secrets. The clock ticks as the The Selection draws closer to an end. Will America resolve her feelings before it’s too late…and will she be Maxon’s choice?
The best part about the second book is the inclusion of tidbits from Illéa’s past. Details about the kingdom start to leak via America’s relationship with Maxon, and the entire caste system is explained. It seems the current King prefers to keep his people in the dark; America discovers that the history put down on paper is far different from the oral history that has been passed down through Illéa’s people over generations. Suddenly, the dystopian elements that seemed to be “tossed in” in book one, make a bit more sense.  America’s character is more fully developed. The reader may be disgusted by the hypocrisy of America’s continued relationship with Apsen while she experiences extreme jealousy over Maxon, yet this imperfection is what pulls the reader headlong into the story. . Aspen is America’s “one constant.” He represents America’s link to the past, and her inability to move forward. Prince Maxon, however, clearly has a hold on her heart, but that hold brings with it America’s encroaching adulthood—adulthood she is not ready to embrace. Maxon too is more fully developed. The reader finds a reason for his behind-the-radar changes to the kingdom, and begins to understand a new and unexpected dynamic in the royal family. Still, the dystopian elements take a backseat to the romantic elements of the story, and because of this, readers who love reality TV and romantic novels will more likely enjoy this series than those who love dystopian works like Divergent and The Hunger Games. And…if you were hoping to discover the winner of the competition, hope some more. It seems the winner will not be revealed until book three. Sigh. I guess I’m still in!

Review of The Selection by Kiera Cass

HarperTeen

The Selection (Book One)
by Kiera Cass
3 Scribbles

Take American reality T.V. show The Bachelor, combine with a Hindu-styled caste system, sprinkle with just a touch of Power Ball Lottery—and violá—a modern young-adult romance is born.

America Singer is in love with Aspen, and even though his caste is below hers, she knows he is THE ONE. If only she could get Aspen to believe that he is good enough for her despite his lowly caste. So when Aspen asks her to enter her name into Illéa’s “Selection,” a contest created for the Prince of Illéa to select his bride and future queen from amongst the people, she doesn’t hesitate. America knows she won’t be chosen to compete when every girl from every caste in the nation is applying, and only thirty five girls will be selected. Then Aspen will know they were meant to be together. Not only is America not future queen material, but the chances of her falling in love with someone else even if she were chosen is non-existent. Until the unthinkable happens.

Although I am not a fan of reality TV per se, and I am particularly appalled by shows like The Bachelor, I do feel that there is a wide audience for this book. I loathe The Bachelor in particular, because I feel that it simplifies love and marriage, and it also degrades the value of women and people in general. That being said, it is a widely popular show among the American public and American teenagers.  That same audience will likely be attracted to this work. Put aside the fact that thirty five girls are all vying for the hand of one privileged boy and another theme comes through. The book is about first—and second— love. Who doesn’t remember their first love and the powerful feelings that come with him? America’s feelings for Aspen are pure, untainted by hurt and regret, and her idealistic and naïve view of love is highly relatable. It is true that one never forgets their first love, and America is no exception to that rule. Hardly ever is a book written about the guy that comes after THE FIRST, and this novel does just that. In simple prose, and dialogue that borders on elementary at times, the reader sees how second love develops, perhaps more slowly and tentatively than the first, but with far more reason and consideration. In this regard Cass’s novel is unique. Add to this the dreamy nature of the castle, the elaborate dresses, the pampering and admiration America receives, and it’s not hard to see why it’s hard to put this book down despite its flaws. I’d wager not one girl amongst us doesn’t secretly want to feel extra special and princes-like. Hopefully, the second installment in the series will feature more about the reason for Illéa’s caste system and rebel attacks on the castle; it would have added to the appeal of the book to elaborate on the “dystopian” setting, which at this point seems to have been tossed in for good measure and contributes little to the Selection as a whole. Despite the fact that this book isn’t a first pick for me, I will be reading the second installment—after all—I have to find out who wins.